EspañolAbout the author
The experience behind the resources
Built by someone who knows home child care.
I’m Holly. For more than 35 years, I have worked with young children, families, teachers, and home child care providers—as a teacher, an in-home provider, and a family child care specialist.
Why I created Provider Path
I have seen where new providers get stuck.
Licensing language can feel overwhelming, and people often spend money before they know what their local office actually requires. Provider Path was created to help future providers find the right official starting point, organize their questions, and move through the process in a safer order.
The licensing information stays free. The optional paid products are editable business tools—contracts, handbooks, checklists, and daily forms that providers can customize after confirming their state requirements.
Official sources first
State agencies and licensing representatives always have the final word.
Useful, not overwhelming
Resources are organized into practical steps providers can actually follow.
Respect the provider
Editable products give each program room to use its own name, voice, and policies.
How the guides are maintained
Every state page begins with official sources.
Provider Path uses the federal ChildCare.gov state directory to locate each state’s licensing, regulations, background-check, and inspection starting points. State requirements are summarized cautiously because provider types, capacity, application order, and local approvals can change.
Each state page shows when its directory links were checked. Visitors can report a moved link or unclear statement, and important corrections are reviewed against the current government source before the guide is updated.
Start where you are